Interactive effects of sodium bentonite and coccidiosis with monensin or salinomycin in chicks.

Three experiments (Exp.) were conducted to determine the interactive effects of sodium bentonite (NaB) with the efficacy of monensin (MON) or salinomycin (SAL) in coccidiosis-infected chicks. Male broiler chicks 5 to 14 d of age were used, and each treatment was replicated with eight (Exp. 1) or four (Exp. 2 and 3) pens of five chicks each. In Exp. 1, MON (80 ppm), NaB (0.50%), or MON+NaB were fed to uninfected and coccidiosis-infected (5 x 10(5) sporulated Eimeria acervulina oocysts on Day 2 of the Exp.) chicks in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Experiment 2 was identical to Exp. 1, but SAL (30 ppm) replaced MON as the anticoccidial additive. In Exp. 3, MON (55 ppm) or SAL (22 ppm) were added individually or with NaB (0.50%) to diets for uninfected or coccidiosis-infected chicks. Coccidial infection reduced (P < 0.01) gain, feed intake, gain:feed, plasma carotenoids, and percentage tibia ash in all experiments. The MON and SAL additions increased these response criteria in infected chicks (coccidiosis by anticoccidial, P < 0.07), except MON did not increase (P > 0.10) feed intake or tibia ash in Exp. 3. In Exp. 3, NaB partially reduced the positive effect of MON on daily gain (NaB by MON, P < 0.03), and of SAL on feed intake (NaB by SAL, P < 0.08). The NaB addition also increased gain:feed (P < 0.08), and the increase was greater in infected chicks (coccidiosis by NaB, P < 0.08). Also in Exp. 3, SAL increased feed intake more in chicks not fed NaB than in chicks fed NaB (SAL by NaB, P < 0.08). Dietary NaB (0.5%) may reduce the efficacy of MON and SAL in coccidiosis-infected chicks when these additives are added at less than recommended levels.